I am 62 years old live near London in the UK and was diagnosed with SCA6 in 2012. Over four years my walking and balance had deteriorated to the point that I felt the need to always walk with a stick, and I was told that things would only get worse as I have a degenerative disease with no cure. I kept active and in reasonable shape, going to the gym and doing Pilates, but my walking steadily went downhill.
I found Tom Clouse on the internet, emailed him and asked if he thought he might be able to help me. I sent him some videos of me walking, he looked at them and said he was sure he could, so I arranged a trip to see him in America in August 2016 just north of New York City where he was working with other people. I had no idea what to expect so I went with an open mind and hoping for the best.
Over three weeks with Tom I learnt how to feel the increased pressure in my feet as the way to help my balance and movement, which it certainly has. It is not a magical cure, but a common sense way to help you improve, and I realise that it will require continual effort on my part to stay in shape and practice what I have learnt. I no longer need to use a stick when I walk and I am improving with the technics that he showed me.
Before I met Tom I was focusing on what I couldn’t do now, or wouldn’t be able to do in the future, instead of what I could do. So as well as helping me physically, he has helped me mentally, and as he said on more than one occasion, “you are more normal than you think you are”. And much to my surprise, I even managed nine holes of golf with him whilst I was there which I had thought was something in my past!
Tom is a very knowledgeable and personable guy with a good sense of humour which makes learning fun. He is really thorough and generous with his time. This is the best thing that I have done since I was diagnosed with SCA, I am very glad I went and would certainly recommend it to anyone with a movement problem.
Nigel Cope
Lives in England, nc.cope@btinternet.com